Out of Comission

March 13-16th I was able to take a trip to Los Angeles California for our Divine Heritage Choir. We were there to do missionary work right in the area that I served when I was a full-time missionary. I was so excited, somewhat emotional because it wouldn't be a quick trip and the memories of being a full-time servant of the Lord came rushing over me. So we get there Friday morning & settle into my sister/friend Tatiana Skipps homie. Then a couple of choir members Anivah,Tanga & Kawehi decide to jump into the pool. Like a fool that loves swimming I to jump in fully clothe in jeans & a t-shirt.

So I stayed in the pool the longest & the wheather wasn't even all that hot. Lost my voice, coughed the whole weekend even after receiving a blessing & crying my eyes that I had to lip sync the entire fireside.

Since then life has been a very steep climb upward bound. Trials of regaining my voice, turned to throwing up like crazy for two weeks striaght come to finding out I was suffering from pneumonia. I was exhausted & today am only slowly getting back on my feet. During this time Choir has been put on hold, being active in helping out in the H.Y.P.E Movement, Face Movement has taken a place on the back burner. *To Be Continued*&

(Back in Comission)

So as I was saying everything that I begun the year off w/was put off due to me catching pneumonia.. And today I'm feeling alive, a little more alive then before & regaining my motivation to making more of myself. I've had a lot of support through friends to keep moving forward with faith. Last weekend I entered a run/walk marathon for cancer. Something I've always talked about but never took the opportunity to do. And with the encouragment of my cousin Taualai Fonoti I was able to enter. He ran of course & I walked but it was a glorious milestone & now I'll be preparing for another 10k marathon.. I can't wait! Our Choir is picking up more firesides & trips. So far we have a trip to St.George planned & later in the year Samoa. So as Divine Heritage Choir we're pushing to becoming better both individually & as a whole.. This Friday our H.Y.P.E Movement will be having Earth Day @ Liberty Park. So come out & learn more about our rapidly growing movement 11am-4pm email me for deails.. I'll be attending w/my family & partner KING TUI.. Youth fireside on Sunday in Provo & in the next couple of weeks family college/high school graduations. So it will be great stuff & more to blog about in the next little while.

How easy is it to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints?

I've just walked in and it's 12:33am from an amazing maybe 3 hrs of witnessing about Jesus Christ. It started off as a fun loving night with my ward SLC 2nd Ward. We had a lesson on "Dating" & "Eternal Marriage" by Legrand Tapasoa..
Really stressing that "trying" to date is not enough compared to actually
making & putting forth effort to being a "doer" of the word not just a "listener".
Or as I like to say sometimes people who "ignore" or "look" past the opportunites to date. Aren't really taking advantage of the whole dating concept & to me wasting time.
So the lesson was informative and to the point that "actively dating"
leads to our ultimate goal of accomplishing eternal marriage.
And not being active is just being either
lazy & unproductive.
After our lesson some physical play time of basketball & dodgeball
to keep things balanced was how we ended out our FHE.

However it wasn't until we left our FHE to hitup Mickey Dee's for mi yummy choc. chip cookies & Dr. Pepper..oh yes! you know it's the perfect mix!lol It wasn't til one of the girls mentioned they wanted to stop over to Wendy's for a frosty. That we didn't know that next stop would turn into more then just a simple pickup of a couple of frosties.lol

Fast forward a little bit cause I can get a little lengthy w/details.lol We're chilling and notice an officer tryna get into Wendy's main lobby. His attempts weren't working due to the late hour of the evening. So we approached this stranger. After a couple offers he finally allowed us to take him through drive thru. And now we've met & became friends with a gentleman by the name of Carlos Ortiz from Puerto Rico, serving in the army for his two kids to support them. Come to find out he's a Christian Baptise. We then took him to his hotel down the street. He asks us to join him for dinner being that he was alone. And this is when we were able to build our friendship.Getting to know more about him, his country & family. He shares his religious beliefs & his testimony. The exchange made mainly through our bilingual Spanish speaking sister Doraleen was heartfelt, inspiring & filled w/the spirit. Leaving this experience with Carlos with true respect for his testimony of Christ & what he shared with us. Was such an amazing teaching experience on both ends. As we were all able to teach one another even w/the language barrier in one way or another.

Leading up to express firmly what we know in what is true. The importance of the Book of Mormon & why it's also needed along with the Bible. To sustain the teachings of the Bible as a companion another testament of Christ & his teachings. Grateful that Carlos would be so open-minded to receive. We were truly edified all around that hotel lobby. Without care of who came in or around & just testifying in the best possible way for our friend Carlos. That we'd all have a better understanding of each others views & beliefs of Christ. And something I learned so powerfully & to go back to my question. How easy is it to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints?
I've found even more true for myself is that it's not easy at all to share the Gospel. Living what we learn from Modern Prophets, Old Prophets, Scriptures etc isn't easy. None of it is easy but when we truly allow God to work within us. Whether it's through a nonmember or inactive family member, friend or stranger that those are the moments we have to take. We must step up & take the call to serve. Because none of us have all the answers or will have the perfect words to form in sharing the Gospel. However at that given moment when faith replaces fear. Making sure our fear won't cripple us from sharing our testimonies. Only then are we lifted up & our thoughts,words & testimonies are the Father's & our tongues are loose to share Christ's teachings. And when we remember we may be the only means to someones pray or influence to changing lives. Miracles happen & the influence on one person opens up understanding to many things. Maybe once never fully understood until you took a stand to OPEN YOUR MOUTH & remember that your assisting the Lord in his work. Not vice versa in presenting his principals & teachings to feeding his sheep. Which he allowed us in this experience with Carlos.

I am so grateful for Carlos Ortiz & if he never accepts our challenges & invitations to learn more about what we live by as Latterday Saints. Why we believe what we believe. It will never be an experience that I will ever regret having been part of for as long as I live. Because his willingness just to spend time listening to our testimonies through word & song wasn't something he had to do. And could've turned us away long before we hit 2 hrs of sharing. But he never did & I will always have that memory as a footprint over my heart. Of why missionary work is so important at all times. Why I've kept fighting to keep my testimony of this restored Gospel, why at the bitter of moments before my mission,during my mission & day to day as I live this experience will remind me why I don't give up & let go so easily of my testimony of the Restored Gospel. Such an amazing reminder through a perfect stranger now friend Carlos Ortiz from Puerto Rico.

He topped off the night with offering the most humble prayer. That I've yet to hear since my mission.It just goes to show again like sister Lexie said "God works in mysterious ways." If you haven't had a missionary experience in awhile I'd have to challenge you to pray for them. If your an RM active or not pray for opportunites to serve. Because you never know like I've said before. You being just who you are could be the answer to someones prayer. To finding interest in the Gospel & eventually deciding to join our Church through your example & testimony. You just never know! Just like we didn't know prior to meeting Carlos Ortiz that are simple stop for frosty's..Would turn into the Lord giving us this gift & opportunity to serve his son. Please pray for Carlos not only about gaining a testimony of this Restored Gospel but also for his safety as he is defending our country through the US Army.

I know this Church is True, I know God lives & loves us and though at times through life's daily trials we may feel forsaken by him out of our own misunderstandings & maybe pride. I know Heavenly Father hasn't left us to fend for ourselves & he just wants us to follow him. I love our Prophets especially learning from President Monson & Joseph Smith Jr these are men of God. The Church is true I know it & I hope one day everyone for themselves will come to this knowledge. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen